Splice bar for rail joints



B. G. BRAINE SPLICE BAR FORRAIL JOINTS Original Filed March 23, 1916 gnwntoc I I Q ,B ar wrljiaBra'ine {fir-usaswori inal No. 1376,020, dated August 20,l1918, Serial No. 86,212, filed March 23, 1916. Application 1 1 v Reissued Aug. 7, 1923.

. UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE.

BANcRor'rG. BRAINE, OF NEW YORK, N.-Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE RAIL JOINT COMPANY,

- on NEW YORK, N. Y., A'oonr'onArIo or NEW YORK.

SPLICE BAR FOR RAIL JOINTS.

reissue filed .May 25, 1923. Serial No. 641,495.

T all whom it mag 0072mm i I i Be it known tl 13itI,-BANCROIT G. BRAINE a citizen of the United States, and a residentof New York, countyof New York, and

State of New York,-have invented new and useful Improvements in Splice. Bars for Rail, Joints, .of which the following ,is a specification; I

This invention relates to an improvement in splice bars for rail joints, and has special reference to a novel structuralformation ot' the bar. which admitsof a new and effective distribution of the metalto obtain an increased efiiciency in the bar above its horizontal neutral axis. p

r It is Well knownthat a splice bar, of any type, when under load is subjected to the, minimum strain adjacent its horizontal neutral axis. It is, therefore, proposed, by

means of the present invention, to provide. a novel and practical designv of splice bar wherein the me tal is so distributed above the foot of the baras to obtain a better balancing of the metal in the entire bar than hasheret'ofore been possible in the conventional forms of splice bars. Thisis par-' ticularly true withrespect to the angle bar typeof splice, -which is open to the objection Of not distributin the metal most effective- 1y, particularly a ecting the section modulus of the head portion of the bar, because of the limitations within the fishing space between therail head and the rail. base Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a construction of splice bar whereinthe minimum amount of metalis used adjacent the horizontal neutral axis of the ban-and the amount of metal increased by graduated increments at increasing intervals from the horizontal neutral axispso that a substantial reinforcing body of'metal may. be incorporated in, the head member of the bar, thereby ,greatly' strengthening the head member in .a, horizontalplane immediately below the safeline. for wheel flange clearance. 'A further eilectOf-this graduated increase. in the thickness of the bar above the horizontalneutral axis, is to strengthen and reinforce the .web member of the bar; hence, a distinct and important feature of.

lustratedand claimed, i

modification in de'- ness of metal, but to add the metal at the places where it is most needed to'resist the loading stresses.

A further and general object of the invention is to provide a construction of splice bar having-its reinforcements of metal so placed in the head and web members thereof as to utilize the metal to the best possible advantage, and particularly to obtain a bar of greater strength and stifi'ness for the same amount of metal as used in any given common angle bar, or to obtain a bar of the same strength with the use of less metal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of bar which obviates the necessity of punching elongated holes in the bar to prevent the bolts from turning, as well as to provide for such a seating of the heads and nuts of the bolts as to permit an additional amount of metal to be placed in the head of thebar to greatly reinforce the same.

'With these and, other objects in view which will be readily understood as the nature of the invention is more fully explained, the latter consists in the novel structural formation, and distribution of metal, hereinafter more fully described, il

T hough susceptible of sign without departing from the principle of construction involved, a preferred and practical embodiment is shown in the ac companying drawings, in which v Figure 1 is a cross-sectional View of a complete rail joint including a splice bar or joint bar havingthe' improved features of construction claimed herein. v

Fig. 2 is an end'view' of the truncated bolt head which cooperates with a shoulder gflthe splice bar to prevent turning of the o t. Fig. 3 is an end view of the truncated nut bearing member orwasherfwhich ad mits of the further enlargement of theouter side of the head of the bar to a point well below the top line ofthe nuts,

Like references designate correspondin parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying forward the present invention the improved features of construction, in volving a new and efl'ective distribution of the metal are preferably incorporated in a bar having an advanced outward location of the web thereof. That is, it is preferable to have the bar web disposed at a somewhat greater distance from the web of the rail than is customary, because of the known fact that such a location of the web of the bar contributes to the efiiciency of the foot of the bar, while at the same time permitting of. a very substantial enlargement, both laterally and vertically of the head of the bar, so that the latter may be greatly increased in strength.

Therefore, it is to be observed that, in its best or preferred form, the present invention involves a splice bar including a web member A, a head member B, and a foot member C, with the web member A having a position wherein it occupies an advanced outward location from the web oftherail R, and the main body of metal therein is intersected by a vertical plane at the outer side ofthe rail head. The present invention, accordingly, preferably utilizes the distinct advantage of an advanced outward location of theweb of the bar, and provides for the strengthening of the upper chord or head,- and the web member, by means of the feature of increasing the body or thickness of metal', above the horizontal neutral axis, by graduated increments or enlargements at the places where reinforcement is most needed to resist the loading stresses; r v

The distinctive and novel feature referred to, namely, that of the graduated increments or enlargements of metal above the horizontal neutral" axis, is clearly shown in the drawings. Referring thereto it willfirst be observedthat the horizontal neutral axis the illustration occurs substantially at the line designated N. A., below the 'lineof the joint bolts 1, and at this place the minimum amount of metal may be used, thereby forming a substantially narrow neck portion or area 2 connecting the web member A with the foot member C of the bar.

, Above the reduced neck portion 2, the web member A of the bar is of a graduated formation upon the inner side thereof. As shown, the said web member is provided at its outer side with a flat vertical bolting face 3 against which is seated the nut bearing member or washer 4, against which bears the locking nut 5; while the inner side of the upright web member is of the stepped formation referred to. This stepped formation involves the entire inner side of the bar from the reduced neck portion up to the inside head projection 6, and, primarily consistsof a graduated stepping up in the thickness of the metal from the zone or area of minimum thickness to the zone or areav of maximum thickness in the head of the bar. This graduated stepped formation, upon the inner side of the web 'of th'e bar, produces progressively increased web enlargements D and E respectively. The first of these enlargements (1)) contains less: area of metal than the next succeeding enlargement (E),

web enlargement D is disposed below the line of. the bolts, while the rib or shoulder 8 of the upper web enlargement E occurs in a plane between the top andbotmm: (if the bolt holes. Thus, the said enlargement E extends at the inner side of'the bar, from its rib or shoulder 8', between the top and biottom oft-he bolt holes, toi the inclining shoulder 9 at the underside of the inner headprojection 6, and the latter is: provided with an inner substantially vertical clearance face 10 which is spaced from the-rail web t6 permit of the necessary adjustment of the bar at this point. formation of the inner, side cf the bar, it will be observed that the sti'aight surfaces between the stepping ribs? and 8 are maintained substantially parallel with-the vasecal outer face oft-he bar, theme? preserving a parallelism between the eateree inner sides of the bar which. is very desirable to facilitate a coldpunching operation, as well as accurate punching, as, hereinafter mere fully referred to. n

In addition t6 the inside stepped fo mtion of the bar, as described, the head of the bar is materially reinforced orstren" hened by the outside. lural rib fat-mess t elf; This plural ri formation essentially c611 sists in the head meinber' B having; an eater projection 11 extenaing to the line of wheel flange clearance 12 and proi'ided with stepped projections of metal 13 14;; respectively. These stepped rojections of metal are the of projecting ribs which mateiially i-ncrease the area of metal iii the head member by the widenin arid thereof at the outer side o the bar; Ana; it will be observed, that, by'reason 6f employing a nut bearing member or washer 4: which is truncated or out atoneside as at 15; the metal in the lower or innermost prejee tion of rib 14 may be carried stibstantially' into a horizontal plane at the. top of the bolt hole. This brings the metal s6 low at. this point as to materially dee en tlie outer head projection 11 and provi e for a very substantial reinforcement of the head of the bar. The location and disposition of the metal in the lowermost rib 14 are such that. the metal is cari-ied well below the top line of the nuts (the long diameter being the. measure) which has been found to be a important and ractical feature in the can: struction of ice bars of the flattened: head type.

The 11 "91 constructien described are: mits .of the barsbeing punched with i nd bolt holes, because it is simply necessary to In connection with this step deepening truncate, or, cut off, the bolt heads, on one In connectlon with the reinforcement of the web member by means of the stepped or progressively increased/web enlargements D and IE, it. w1ll be noted that while this con struction gradually and proportionately 1ncreases thestrength of the web upward from the horizontal neutral axis,.yet at the same time the web of the bar may be maintained of such a thickness as to permltof an easy punching of the bolt holes. That is to say, thefstep formation at the inner side of the bar is of practical importance, not only to provide for the graduated reinforcement from thehorizontal neutral axis upward to the head of the bar, but also provides, atthe inner side of thebar, upright or vertical faces substantially parallel to the adjacent portion of the rail web, thus making it possible for a reinforced bar of this type to have the bolt holes punched therein with the samefacility as the punching of the bolt holes in the straight web of an ordinary angle bar. The operation of punching the bolt holes is rendered more diflicultan less accurate where the punch is required to pass through a surface not at substantially right angles thereto, or in other words, through aninclining or curved surface, such as shown in some of the prlor art. Accordingly, the

step formation at the inner side of the joint, bar represents an improvement in the art of practical importance, both from a manufacturing standpoint and from the stand point of providing a desirable means of properly balancing the. metal distributed -throughout the bar above the horizontal neutral axis.

same time permitting ofthe thinning out of the metal toward the horizontal neutral axis to obtain the graduated reinforcement desired. H a

From the foregoing it is thought that the I construction and many advantages of the herein described improvements will be readily understood without further description, and it is to be noted that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of the construction, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, may be resortedtowithout departing from the spiritpr sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In this connection, it will be observed that the construction referred to permits the web of the bar, at its maximum- ,I claim: v i I 1. splice bar of uniform section having a step formation at the inner side' of its, web;

2. A splice barofluniform section having 1 y a vertically stepped I formation at "the inner v idedatits outer side withsteppedprojeotions arranged at progressively increasing distances from the outer side of the bar.

14.;Asplice bar having anouter'vertical face, and provided at its inner side and also at its outer side with steppedprojections arranged at progressively increasing distances from saidface. v Q

5. A splice barprovided with a web member and a laterally enlarged head member, the web, member having an outer vertical face below the bolt holes and a plurality of inner straight faces spaced at progressively increasing distance from the inner I face 7 toward thehead andhaving at its outer sidea' plurality of projections at progressively increasing distance from the vertical plane of said outer vertical face.

6. A splice bar of uniform section provided at the inner side of its web with a plurality of stepped shoulders, and straight faces substantially parallel with the outer side of thebar.

a straight vertical outer face,and a plural- 7. A splice bar of' uniform section having ity of lnner straight faces substantially pari 1 i a straight vertical outer face, and aplurality of inner straight faces substantially par-i wallel with said outer face and spaced from the latter at progressively increasing distances toward the head of the bar, the maximum thickness betweenthe outer face and one of the inner faces within the bolt Ihole area being of substantially a thickness equal to the diameter of the bolt hole.

9. A splice bar of uniform section having a foot member, anenlarged head member,

and a web member formed with a narrow neck portion adjacent the horizontal neutral axis and provided at its inner side with vertically stepped enlargements, theuppermost of these enlargements extending from the head member to a point between the top and the bottom of the bolt holes. i

10. A splice bar of uniform section having a foot member, a head member, and a web member'formed with anarrow neck portion adjacent the horizontal neutral axisand pro- I vided at its innerside with vertically stepped enlargements, the lowermost enlargement ex v tending from a point below the bolt holes to innermost rib extending downwardly to substah'tiallythe top line-ofthebeltfholes. I

112-. A splice barprovided'witha web member and laterally enlarged head 'membt'ar, the web member having "an outer-vertical belting face andia plurality ofinner straight faces spaced at progressively increasing distance from the outer face toward thehead, and the latter having at its outer side a plurality Off projections at progressively inby erasing distance from the vertical plane of Said outer vertical face:

-13.-A" splice bar having web member provided with ah'outer' vertical bolting face, and a laterally enlarged head member which is provided with a eoncavity for wheel flange detainee and at outer side with a pluralisgaas ity of longitudinal ribs arranged in verti cally stepped relation to each other, the rib at the leastdistance from the bolting face lying c'l'oserjto the bolt holes.

14. A spl'icebar'of uniform section having a laterally enlargedhead member which is provided at its outer side with a plurality of ribs arranged in vertically stepped relation to each other, the innermost rib lying in proximal relation to the bolt ho1e's.-

15. A "splice bar having; a laterally-fem large'd head member which is provided at its outer side with a plurality of longitudr 'nal ribs arranged in vertically stepped relation to each other.

16. A splice bar having at the outer side oi. its head alternating enlargement shoul ders and straight faces, the latterbeing substantially parallel with the outer vertical face of the bar. I Intestim'ony whereof I hereunto afiix' my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. BANCROFT G. BRAINE. Vitnesses -E. K. KERsrrNER,

M. CoLwELL. 

